Bluffton High’s opponent for this week’s SCHSL Class AAAA Division II quarterfinal game is suddenly up in the air.

Goose Creek, the team the Bobcats were scheduled to visit Friday, has been removed from the state playoffs for using an ineligible player, South Carolina High School League associate commissioner Dru Nix said Tuesday.

Nix said Goose Creek plans to appeal the ruling before the league’s executive committee today. The committee is made up of school superintendents, principals and administrators.

If the SCHSL ruling is upheld, Bluffton would host Conway in the quarterfinals Friday, athletic director Dave Adams said. A successful appeal by Goose Creek would put the Bobcats on the road.

“We’re kind of in limbo right now, but we’ve got to be ready to move forward,” Adams said.

Goose Creek, the defending state champion and No. 1 team in Class AAAA, defeated Conway 48-7 last week in the first round. Eighth-seeded Bluffton, coming off a 37-13 victory at South Florence, entered the week expecting to visit the Gators in Berkeley.

Instead, the Bobcats will have to wait to learn the result of the appeal before they know who, or where, they will play Friday night.

“Conway can prepare for us and Goose Creek can prepare for us, but I don’t know who to prepare for right now,” Bluffton coach Ken Cribb said Tuesday afternoon. “Right now, I’m just going to continue to prepare for Goose Creek. I’m going to stay on track until I know (the outcome of the appeal).”

Goose Creek has won 25 consecutive games since and is the 11th-ranked team in USA Today’s Super 25 national rankings. The Gators have at least five major-college prospects in wide receiver Tramel Terry (committed to Georgia), linebacker Gerald Turner (South Carolina), defensive tackle Mike Myers (East Carolina), running back Caleb Kinlaw and tight end Kalan Ritchie.

Conway fell to 4-8 with its loss to Goose Creek. The 16th-seeded Tigers finished fourth in Region 6 and lost to South Florence 36-29 last month.

ON THE WEB

Check blufftontoday.com to learn the Bobcats’ quarterfinal opponent when the SCHSL executive committee’s ruling is made today.

IF YOU GO

What: Bluffton in Class AAAA quarterfinals

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

Where: TBD

IF YOU DON’T GO

Follow Bluffton Today sports reporter Lawrence Conneff on Twitter at @BlufftonSports for live updates during the game.

Check blufftontoday.com for results after the game, then pick up Sunday’s edition for more coverage.

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